Golf club shaft and the like



Nov. 10, 1931. J. MENZIES 1,831,255

GOLF CLUB SHAFT AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. '7, 1950 Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES JOHN MENZIES, F NEW'HAVEN, CONNECTICUT GOLF CLUB snArr AND THE LIKE Application filed February 7, 1930. Serial No. 426,561.

My invention relates to an improvement in hollow steel shafts primarily designed for the shafts of golf clubs but also available for use inthe manufacture of fishing rods, walk- 6 ing sticks, and in kindred articles in which hollow steel shafts intended to be more or less flexed in use are employed, the object being to increase the coeflicient of elasticity in such shafts.

With these ends in view my invention consists in a hollow shaft hermetically sealed at one end and provided at its opposite end with an air-tight valve adapted for the permanent confinement of a column of air (gas) under pressure within the shaft.

My invention further consists in a golf club comprising a hollow shaft hermetically sealed at one end and provided at its respective ends with a head and a handle.

My invention further consists in a golf club comprising a hollow shaft hermetically sealed at one end and provided at its opposite end with an air-tight valve and at its respective ends with a head and a handle.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a golf club constructed in accordance with my invention Fig. 2 is a broken enlarged view of the outor end of the golf club through its handle,

showing an air-tight valve in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a corresponding view showing the valve in central longitudinal section; and

Fig. 4 is a broken sectional view of the inner end of the hollow shaft, with a golf head applied thereto.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown a golf club comprising a hollow steel shaft 5 having its lower end hermetically sealed by a plug 6 brazed or otherwise secured in place and formed beyond such plug with an extension 7 receiving transverse rivets 8 for the attachment of a head 9, which may be of any of the several forms used in golf clubs. The outer end of the shaft 5 is provided with an air-tight valve which may be of any approved construction, so long as it is adapted to provide for hermetically sealing the outer end of the shaft after the column of air there in has been placed under pressure.

. The valve herein shown, wlii.ch is merely illustrative, consistsof a domical valve-body 10 formed with an annular externally-threaded shoulder lladaptino; it to be screwed into theinternally-threaded outer end ofthe said shaft 5. This valve-body 10 is formedwith a valve-seat 12 receiving the point of a needlevalve 13 located at the inner endof a valvestem' 14 eXternally-threaded' for 5 being screwed into the said valve-body 10, which is '60 internally-threaded for'thepurpose, the' said valve-stembeing formed with a longitudinal air-passage 22 andwith a transverse passage 15 located at the inner end thereof and opening into the interior of the valve-body 10, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. i

Near the outer end of the valve-stem it is faceted as at 16 for the application of a wrench, by means of which the stem is turned for seating the needle-valve 13 upon, or retracting it from, the valve-seat 12 in the body 10, but the outer end of the valve-stem might be adapted otherwise than by facets for turn ing it. To protect the outer end of the valvestem, I provide a guard-cap 18, the inner end of which is reduced in diameter and externally-threaded for being screwed into the threaded outer end of the shaft 5. The

guard-cap 18 is. in turn, enclosed and protected by a finishing-cap 19 of metal, wood, hard rubber. or whatever, sleeved over the guard-cap 18. As shown, two layers 20 of leather, or equivalent material, are spirally wound overthe outer end of the shaft and g the inner end of the cap 19 to provide the usual grip for the club.

But I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the employment of such means as the plug 6, or such an air-tight valve as herein described, for hermetically sealing the opposite ends of the shaft after the column of air in the shaft has been placed under pressure. It is intended, of course, that after the column of air in the shaft has I r been placed under pressure, it will be permanently maintained under such pressure by means of the air-tight valve,,whatever its specific construction.

The sealing in the steel tube of a column of air under pressure greatly increases its co efiicient of elasticity and therefore its efiiciency when the tube is utilized in golf clubs,

fishing rods, canes, or in kindred situations in which a flexible hollow steel tube is employed.

As herein shown-and preferably-the valve-stem 14 is provided at its outer end with an externally-threaded nipple 21 for the application to it fixture of Whatever character, forming the service-end of any convenient and suitable means for creating the pressure required within the hollow shaft.

Throughout the foregoing description I have referred to the hollow shaft as containing air, which is in itself'but a gas. However, I'would have it understood that if desired, theair may be replaced by any other gas or elastic fluid, such as neon, nitrogen, etc.

I claim:

A golf 'club comprising a hollow shaft hermetically sealed at one end and provided at its opposite end with an air-tight valve 7 and also provided at its opposite ends with a golf-club head and a handle.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification. f

JOHN MENZIES.

of a threaded detachable 

